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DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE - The Fort Providence Volunteer Fire Department is trying a new approach to training.

Since January the department members have been following a detailed schedule for their Wednesday night practice sessions. The schedule lists up to three activities for each session.

Members of the Fort Providence Volunteer Fire Department Craig Rooney, left, and Dion Elleze practice a combination attack method for putting out a structural fire during one of the department's recent Wednesday night practice sessions. - photo courtesy of the Fort Providence Volunteer Fire Department

Training activities include structure fire attacks, fire behaviour review, equipment checks, forcible entry tools and many others. The schedule is a departure from the way the department was previously training.

"It's been good," said Andy Sapp, the department's fire chief.

Before the schedule was implemented the volunteers still met every Wednesday but the practices were "played more by ear," said Sapp. The number of people in attendance on any given night would dictate what skills they could practice.

Some members used to get discouraged because attendance wouldn't be high enough to do many of the activities, said Sapp. With the new schedule the activities are already set.

"It's helpful so guys know ahead of time if something's going on," he said.

Some members of the department are seeing the benefits from the fixed training schedule.

"We've been getting a lot more members out at practices," said Christopher Carson.

One Wednesday, 11 members attended a session on round ladders. On March 4, eight members attended. In the past the average attendance was between three to four people, said Carson.

"We've been getting a steady core," he said.

The department has 12 members who volunteer regularly and approximately four more people who also attend.

The department's numbers are up slightly from this time last year, but Sapp said he's had some mixed reviews from members about the schedule.

Some members like the structured practice while other prefer the old "seat of your pants," flexible practices, said Sapp.

The purpose of the weekly training is to familiarize the volunteers with the equipment, fire behaviour and standard operating procedures. Almost everything should be committed to memory so it's second nature, said Sapp.

When the department is called to a fire or an accident the members need to be able to draw on their practiced skills.

"You don't think so clear in an emergency," he said.

The department's most recent response was to an incident at the Big River Service Station on March 4. A propane vaporizer, housed in a metal building on the property, failed, resulting in a propane burn off.

A propane vaporizer heats propane so it vaporizes and can feed into a furnace.

Fortunately, the system had been installed well and all the firefighters had to do was close a valve to stop the flow of propane, Sapp said.